Sago Pondweed (Potamogeton pectinatus L.):
A Literature Review
by
Harold A. Kantrud
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center
P.O. Box 2096
Jamestown, North Dakota 58402
Throughout the world, communities of submersed angiosperms are important feeding and rearing
habitats for waterfowl, fish, and many other organisms. Some of the most important of these
communities to waterfowl are dominated by sago
pondweed (Potamogeton pectinatus L.), which is
unique among Potamogeton taxa in its nearly worldwide distribution and often great abundance in
monotypic stands. The importance of sago to staging and migrant waterfowl is so great that, at least
in North America, continental migration pathways
of some species can be determined by the location
of large water bodies dominated by the plant. Unfortunately, the abundance of sago (and other
important waterfowl food plants) has declined
drastically in many wetlands that have a history of
substantial use by staging and migrant waterfowl.
Therefore, efforts are currently under way in several
areas of the United States to restore sago and other
submersed macrophytes to their former abundance.
The success of these endeavors will require a thorough knowledge of the life histories and environmental requirements of the plants involved.
There are several brief life histories of sago (Moore 1915; Yeo 1965; Stevenson and Confer 1978; Wallentinus 1979) and many reports on the effects of several environmental variables on the distribution and abundance of the plant in many parts of the world (e.g., Craner 1964; Aleem and Samaan 1969a,b; Kollman and Wali 1976; Anderson 1978; Howard-Williams and Liptrot 1980; Verhoeven 1980a,b; Van Vierssen and Verhoeven 1983; Van Wijk 1988). Sago is easily cultured in pure liquid media in the laboratory but is also a nuisance plant that clogs irrigation facilities and interferes with fishing and recreational boating. These attributes have resulted in much information on sago physiology and control methodology that can be useful to waterfowl managers. In addition, there are numerous references to use of sago by waterfowl and to methods whereby sago production can be increased to attract greater numbers of waterfowl.
There have been no recent attempts to assemble and synthesize the available information on sago, despite its nearly worldwide ecological importance.
I have tried to assemble such information in this
report so that sago can be properly protected and
managed. Some material is included that is possibly
of interest only to specialists. This report is largely
based on material in English or with English summaries, but much foreign material, often not seen by me but cited by other authors, is included. Not
included are many references to the simple occurrence of sago in various wetlands worldwide, early
taxonomic studies, mostly foreign, of sago, and
reports of tests of potential chemical control agents.
This resource is based on the following source (Northern Prairie Publication 0753):
Kantrud, Harold A. 1990. Sago pondweed (Potamogeton pectinatus L.): A
literature review. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Fish and Wildlife
Resource Publication 176. 89pp.
This resource should be cited as:
Kantrud, Harold A. 1990. Sago pondweed (Potamogeton pectinatus L.): A
literature review. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Fish and Wildlife
Resource Publication 176. Jamestown, ND: Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center
Home Page. http://www.npwrc.usgs.gov/resource/literatr/pondweed/pondweed.htm
(Version 16JUL97).
- Abstract
- Classification and Distribution
- Autoecological Classification
- Distribution
- Development and Reproduction
- Roots
- Rhizomes
- Vegetation
- Flowers
- Sexual Reproduction
- Asexual Reproduction
- Physiology
- Growth and Production
- Rate
- Yield
- Chemical and Caloric Content
- Decomposition
- Habitat
- Wetland Type
- Wetland Area and Fetch
- Water Column
- Bottom Substrate
- Communities and Associated Biotic Limiting Factors
- Macrophyte
- Algal
- Organic Pollutants
- Coatings
- Diseases and Parasites
- Invertebrates
- Amphibian and Reptile
- Fish
- Bird
- Mammal
- Economics
- Beneficial
- Detrimental
- Propagation and Management
- Control Methods
- Chemical
- Physical and Biological
- Research Needs
- Acknowledgments
- References A-L
- References M-Z
- Appendix A-- Sago Pondweed Biomasses and Probable Limiting Biomass
- Appendix B-- Origins of Nutrient Enrichment in Wetlands Where Sago Pondweed Occurred
- Appendix C-- Bottom Substrate Types Supporting Sago Pondweed Growth
- Appendix D-- Use of Sago Pondweed as Food by Groups of Waterfowl
- Table 1-- References and subject material about the development and reproduction of sago pondweed
- Table 2-- Density and yield of sago pondweed propagules under various conditions
- Table 3-- Elemental composition of aboveground green tissues of sago pondweed
- Table 4-- General habitat features for sago pondweed occurrences arranged according to increasing observed tolerance of water depth
- Table 5-- Salinities of sago-inhabited waters, arranged according to increasing maximum observed salt tolerance
- Table 6-- Chemical content of natural waters inhabited by sago pondweed
- Table 7-- Extractable compounds and elements in bottom sediments used by sago pondweed
- Table 8-- Co-occurences of sago pondweed in same water body with other vascular submerged macrophytes and Chara in areas throughout the world
- Figure-- Stages of growth for sago pondweed
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